Eclipse Member Linda

Eclipse Member Linda is a so-called friend of Professor Cypress and the first Eclipse Member that the player has to battle against. After the player's in-game parents are kidnapped, Cypress tells the player to find his friend Linda, but she attacks the player and robs the Bronze Brick given by player's parents, foreshadowing the ultimate revelation in Anthian Park.

History
When Prof. Cypress delivers the bad news of player's parents being abducted, he instructs the player to find his friend Linda in a house with a blue roof at Cheshma Town. Upon entering Cheshma Town, Linda is already waiting for the player, having received the message from Cypress, and leads the player to her house, where a Shadow Lugia artwork can be seen inside. After a short talk pretending to be sympathetic, she asks if the player has anything to remember his or her parents by, and the player shows Linda the Bronze Brick necklace. She suddenly says that the necklace looks valuable and bolts off with it.

Due to the exit for Route 2 being temporarily closed for roadworks, Linda is forced to hide in Gale Forest, and she is spotted rushing in the direction for Gale Forest by Rival Jake. Being cornered in a dead end, Linda reveals that she actually belongs to Team Eclipse and battles the player, thinking that the player is only a beginner and cannot battle well. Surprised that the player has won, she is forced to return the Bronze Brick and flee, but not before leaving a warning that Team Eclipse will be back for the Bronze Brick.

Linda is no longer seen after this incident, but when the player acquires Float Badge, Prof. Cypress approaches the player outside Rosecove Gym and apologizes to the player regarding what Linda has done. However, Cypress talks like he doesn't even know Linda at all, referring her as "a strange woman" rather than directly calling her name, sparking suspicion in player's mind and eventually proving that Linda's ambush has blown the cover of Cypress......

Personality
Linda hides her true identity very well like Professor Cypress while faking her sympathy to the player, trying to earn the player's trust enough for her to steal the player's necklace. After her identity is revealed, she starts to act very cocky and careless and thinks the player will never win against her because they just started their journey.

Dialogue
Click to view all dialogues of Eclipse Member Linda.

Cheshma Town
"Hey, over here!"

"You must be [Player]. Professor Cypress told me about you. He said he wants me to keep an eye on you while they figure out what happened to your parents. Well, my house is over here. Follow me."

"So your parents were taken by Team Eclipse? Gosh, that must be awful. I bet you must miss them? Do you have anything to remember them by? Oh, so they left you with that necklace? Do you mind if I see it? Thanks, this necklace looks old...... and valuable...... Heh...... thanks!" (Bolts out of her house)

Gale Forest
"Well darn, looks like you caught up to me. It’s my fault for running into this dead end. The bridge was under construction so hiding here was my only option. So you want this necklace back, huh? Well too bad, it belongs to...... TEAM ECLIPSE! That’s right kid, I’m a member of Team Eclipse. The only way I’d let you have it back is if you beat me in a Pokémon battle. But let’s face it -- you are just a fresh new trainer. There’s no way you can beat me!"


 * After defeating Linda: "Beaten by a kid...... ugh......"

"What, how could this happen? Oh, this really isn't good. The boss is going to be so mad at me. Fine, here, take your necklace back. Team Eclipse will be back for it though. We always get what we want."

Trivia

 * Linda is the only Eclipse Member that has her exact rank kept unknown, only going with the trainer class "Eclipse Member" rather than "Eclipse Admin" or "Eclipse Grunt".
 * The levels of Linda's Pokémon in Gale Forest have been increased by 2 from Anthian City update onwards.
 * The music of VS Eclipse Member Linda is a remix of the Legendary Titans Battle Theme from Pokémon Ruby, Sapphire and Emerald, as well as their remakes Pokémon Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire.